***Official*** South Africa In Australia

[Furball]

One thing that amazed me when I saw it last night on the cricinfo live scorecard - what the hell was Hussey doing opening?

He's one of the best finishers of an innings there is, why dick around with your batting up when you've got a guy at 8, who no matter how talentless I think he is, at least opens for his domestic side?

 

[Goughy]

Parnell is 99.9% to my knowledge 'black'. I maybe wrong though.

Im still waiting for any evidence.

Last time I think you gave an ambiguous quote that I dont think showed anything.

I may be wrong but I dont think he is PDA and Ive seen no evidence to suggest it.

 

[Smudge]

Just turned over for the last few overs, but wow, the Aussie ground-fielding was av-er-age at that point.

 

[Mister Wright]

Bracken (hearts)

Good start for Australia. Hope the fifth bowler doesn't hurt us.

So Prophet like!

 

[JBH001]

Did not expect a SA win when they lost those 4 wickets with about 50 to get in 30 balls. Really surprised to see Australia lose from there.

 

[Mister Wright]

Clarke is rested for two weeks due to pain in his thumb, with Warner coming in who will debut on Sunday.

Hussey at the top hasn't lasted for long.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Hopes did the job that should be expected of him with the ball (allrounder, keeping it tight in the middle overs)

Yeah, going for 5 an over is "keeping it tight".

 

[Briony]

Im still waiting for any evidence.

Last time I think you gave an ambiguous quote that I dont think showed anything.

I may be wrong but I dont think he is PDA and Ive seen no evidence to suggest it.

I also read somewhere that Parnell was classified as a coloured player which makes selection for them easier but he looks white to me. Then again, Gibbs has never looked black to me either.

That Norman Arendse guy said this during an interview.

It would be irresponsible to push (Lonwabo) Tsotsobe or (Wayne) Parnell or any of the other players of colour at this stage.

 

[Easto241091]

I dont mean to be racists in any way but the south african selection policy seems dodgy. I think its going to be changing soon but shouldnt the best player that fits the team structure be selected, irrespective of colour, wealth or any other socioeconomic factors. Thats just my two cents and im sorry if anybody gets offended.

 

[Corbin]

Ponting would be crazy to not bring in Hauritz.

Selectors have really done shot themselves in the foot in selecting White as a specialist IMO, the fact of the matter is if Australia's top 4 go quickly there is no way in hell White will be able to hold the ship and make it to the 40 over mark. Basically he's role in the team is being defined as a pitch hitter to come in during the late overs. The fact he wasn't called upon last night to bowl before Clarke surely says that he is no longer seen as a viable bowling option at International level.

I just don't think the balance within the ODI squad is really at the right level as of yet. Bringing in someone like North would of been a very smart choice squad wise at least. The Hobart team looks pretty obvious I guess with Hopes poor display costing him a spot I'd prefer to see Haddin at 6 and White at 7 but it is likely to be the other way around.

As previously mentioned regarding Hopes I think it's either he opens the batting or he doesn't play at all. He offers nothing batting all the way down at number 8 and the fact they considered Hussey and to a lesser extent Clarke over him opening the batting doesn't do his chances any justice.

My side:

1 Marsh
2 Warner
3 Ponting
4 M Hussey
5 D Hussey
6 Haddin
7 White
8 Hauritz
9 Bracken
10 Tait
11 Hilfenhaus

 

[Spikey]

Clarke is rested for two weeks due to pain in his thumb, with Warner coming in who will debut on Sunday.

Won't someone please think of NSW?

 

[Ausage]

I dont mean to be racists in any way but the south african selection policy seems dodgy. I think its going to be changing soon but shouldnt the best player that fits the team structure be selected, irrespective of colour, wealth or any other socioeconomic factors. Thats just my two cents and im sorry if anybody gets offended.

I don't think that a position that team selection should be entirely merit based without factoring race could be construed as racist. In fact it's the opposite imo.

 

[DingDong]

Clarke is rested for two weeks due to pain in his thumb, with Warner coming in who will debut on Sunday.

Hussey at the top hasn't lasted for long.

South Africans have no chance now. Warner will destroy the South Africans.

 

[pup11]

Ponting would be crazy to not bring in Hauritz.

Selectors have really done shot themselves in the foot in selecting White as a specialist IMO, the fact of the matter is if Australia's top 4 go quickly there is no way in hell White will be able to hold the ship and make it to the 40 over mark. Basically he's role in the team is being defined as a pitch hitter to come in during the late overs. The fact he wasn't called upon last night to bowl before Clarke surely says that he is no longer seen as a viable bowling option at International level.

I just don't think the balance within the ODI squad is really at the right level as of yet. Bringing in someone like North would of been a very smart choice squad wise at least. The Hobart team looks pretty obvious I guess with Hopes poor display costing him a spot I'd prefer to see Haddin at 6 and White at 7 but it is likely to be the other way around.

As previously mentioned regarding Hopes I think it's either he opens the batting or he doesn't play at all. He offers nothing batting all the way down at number 8 and the fact they considered Hussey and to a lesser extent Clarke over him opening the batting doesn't do his chances any justice.

My side:

1 Marsh
2 Warner
3 Ponting
4 M Hussey
5 D Hussey
6 Haddin
7 White
8 Hauritz
9 Bracken
10 Tait
11 Hilfenhaus

I think Watson not being there has proved to be a huge blow, it completely ruins the team balance, Hauritz has to come into the side and that is only fair enough, he has been one of the better bowlers in OD scene for the last two season and he deserves his chance at the international level too.

The problem though is, i think the Australian ODI team are filled with way too many batsmen atm, and the team that you suggested should play for the game on Sunday too have the same problem, it has only got 4 bowlers, and this time around Australia might have to depend on getting ten overs out of David Hussey, which obviously is a huge punt, which is very likely to backfire, so therefore Australia might have to consider dropping White, and either going for Hopes, or some other all-rounder from the domestic circuit.

 

[pup11]

Won't someone please think of NSW?

Phillip Hughes and Moises Henriques to the rescue.....

 

[Spikey]

Phillip Hughes and Moises Henriques to the rescue.....

Hughes is still out

 

[Craig]

I dont mean to be racists in any way but the south african selection policy seems dodgy. I think its going to be changing soon but shouldnt the best player that fits the team structure be selected, irrespective of colour, wealth or any other socioeconomic factors. Thats just my two cents and im sorry if anybody gets offended.

I think it is getting to the point where PDA players (like Ntini, Amla, Duminy) would make the team regardless whether they were black, white, purple or green. That said I have never seen Lonwabo Tsotsobe bowl but he has an average of 21 and a s/r of 42, so he must be worth his salt as a bowler.

Mind you we still have Robbie Peterson and a bloke like Justin Ontong has played Tests, so there goes my theory

 

[Corbin]

I think Watson not being there has proved to be a huge blow, it completely ruins the team balance, Hauritz has to come into the side and that is only fair enough, he has been one of the better bowlers in OD scene for the last two season and he deserves his chance at the international level too.

The problem though is, i think the Australian ODI team are filled with way too many batsmen atm, and the team that you suggested should play for the game on Sunday too have the same problem, it has only got 4 bowlers, and this time around Australia might have to depend on getting ten overs out of David Hussey, which obviously is a huge punt, which is very likely to backfire, so therefore Australia might have to consider dropping White, and either going for Hopes, or some other all-rounder from the domestic circuit.

Yeah, I can see what your saying. I believe Hopes just isn't capable of filling a role that is validates his selection down the order. It's open or nothing in the ODI's IMO. Watson's not being there is a huge problem balance wise and realistically he'd take over from White. You would then have to ask yourself the question as to whether he would open the batting or come in down the order. Before anyone suggest bringing in McDonald I'll just say no. he is not the answer.

At full strength?

1 Marsh
2 Watson
3 Ponting
4 Clarke
5 Symonds
6 M Hussey
7 Haddin
8 Lee
9 Hauritz
10 Bracken
11 Tait

With Watson, Symonds and Clarke all capable of making up the overs after the specialists, I think the above represents what we could realistically play. I think at the moment in the Australian squad there is a general too much of a intent to apply reliance on what the general public may perceive as 'all round options' in the form of Hopes, White, David Hussey when in fact White and Hussey's bowling is not up to scratch to consistently perform at ODI level and Hopes selection is somewhat dubious as IMO he's defiant attitude to not focus on either he's batting or bowling and be reconsidered as a pure all rounder has meant that he hasn't exactly excelled to the level required to guarantee selection with inconsistency in either his batting or bowling form always present in either one putting a sense of doubt to his long term selection with Watson to return come the England tour.

Hopefully this line of thinking will end with the New Zealand series but I don't hold a lot of hope with the Australians selectors currently. Even more so after the Warner selection which he has hardly proved that his selection is warranted with only 10 List A games behind him. I'm still not sold on his ability to play spin either yet which I think if he plays which is looking quite the obvious in Hobart, we could see Botha come in quick if the opening bowlers don't pick him up early.

 

[Corbin]

Phillip Hughes and Moises Henriques to the rescue.....

I really like the look of Moises Henriques as an all round option in the future years. I think it would be a brilliant idea to select him for the ODI's on the England tour as a more so squad member to provide him with some experience in and around the camp possibly even playing a game with key members most likely to be suffering from fatigue coming off the Ashes. Picking him for the Top End series in Darwin was a start, so hopefully his development will continue as he is quite a bright prospect. He can compete that's for sure, as he showed through his figures against what most would call a lacklustre NZ batting outfit yet International standard still to say the least in a tour match late last year.

 

[pup11]

Hughes is still out

Well still have Katman...